1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for protecting a copyright of digital information that is digitally transmitted between an information apparatus for home use and personal computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the, research of data compression for a video and audio signal using digital technologies has sufficiently advanced, so that an accumulation and/or transmission of these data can be easily performed. Correspondingly, a digitalization in a field of the broadcasting has also advanced rapidly. For example, a broadcasting system in which an analog video and/or audio signal are digitally compretssed and encoded using an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard with high-efficiency, and transmitted through a satellite and/or cable can be performed. In general, a digital-broadcasting receiver called a set-top-box is used for receiving the digital-broadcasting signal.
Furthermore, a digital VCR (Video Cassette Recorder), that can record and reproduce a video and audio information such as a digital TV broadcasting signal by employing a compression-encoding method on the magnetic tape, has been developed as an apparatus for home use to record and/or reproduce the video and audio signal.
One technology by which a requested program can be selected from received digital signals an in which plural information is multiplexed and transmitted is shown in the Japanese published unexamined patent application No. H8-56350. Moreover, one the digital VCR that uses rotation magnetic heads is shown, for example, in the Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 5-174496. Furthermore, in the publication xe2x80x9cNewly Developed D-VHS Digital Tape Recording System for the Multimedia Eraxe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, Vol. 42, No.3, August 1996, pp.617-622), there are stated details about the digital broadcasting recording system in which the digital broadcasting receiver and the digital VCR are connected with a transmission line such as a digital interface. Disclosed in Japanese published unexamined patent application No. H2-7269 is technology regarding a method for protecting a copyright in a case where digital device is connected by a digital interface, respectively. In a case where copying of a digital content of an output on a digital interface is prohibited, the digital content is changed (scrambled) to different codes, and then the different codes are outputted on the digital interface. Therefore the copyright of the digital contents are somewhat protected because a digital recording apparatus, which receives the different code; doesn""t have a function to decode the different codes.
When the digital broadcasting signal is recorded and reproduced by using the digital VCR, etc., there is a first disadvantage in that in transmitting the copyrighted information externally between apparatuses through the digital interface, an intercepting and/or tampering of the copyright information can occur, even if the copyright information is scrambled.
As one example, the copyrighted information can be intercepted during transmission between the apparatuses, and copy control information thereof can be modified (i.e., tampered with) so as to record the copyright information with an unauthorized copy control information, e.g. allowing unlimited (i.e., piracy) copying. Accordingly, there is a problem that the pirated copyrighted information can be used again by transmitting the information to a device with a discramble function again through a digital interface, even though further use was prohibited. Accordingly, external transmission and recording of copyright information with a prohibitive copy control information is disadvantageous in that it is susceptible to copyright piracy.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a digital information recording apparatus to record a digital information to protect a digital informational including copy control information on a digital transmission line.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to protect a copyright of digital contents on a digital interface.
In view of the objective of solving the problems explained above, a digital information recording apparatus to record a digital information, comprises:
separation means for separating first digital information and first copy control information from an inputted digital information including at least said first digital information and said first copy control information;
decrypt means for decrypting said first digital information outputted from said separation means;
select means for selecting said first digital information or decrypted second digital information outputted from decrypt means;
recording means for recording selected said first digital information or said decrypted second digit information; and
control means for controlling at least said select means and said recording means in response to said first copy control information outputted from said separation means.
According to a preferred embodiment, a digital information recording apparatus to record a digital information, comprising:
separation means for separating first digital information and first copy control information from an inputted digital information including at least said first digital information and said first copy control information;
process means for processing said first digital information outputted from said separation means and outputting second digital information in response to control information;
recording means for recording said second digital information; and
control means for controlling at least said process means and said recording means in response to said first copy control information;
wherein said control means controls said process means by said control information.
According to another embodiment, a digital information recording apparatus having a digital information output means, said digital information recording apparatus comprising:
separation means for separating first digital information and first copy control information from digital information including at least said first digital information and said first copy control information outputted from said digital information output means;
decrypt means for decrypting said first digital information outputted from said separation means;
select means for selecting said first digital information or decrypted second digital information outputted from decrypt means;
recording means for recording selected said first digital information or said decrypted second digital information; and
control means for controlling at least said select means and said recording means in response to said first copy control information outputted from said separation means.